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Family Favourite Recipes – Chocolate Marzipan Cherries.

When I started this blog, my intention was to write down all our family favourite recipes in one place. It occurred to me that our much loved recipes exist on tatty pieces of paper. My children might want to find Aunty Betty’s toffee apple recipe, or the Gimson Christmas trifle. Stained and ripped pieces of paper might be difficult to find. So recipes are deposited here for future reference. Today I’m sharing my home made cherry chocolate recipe that I make every year. It’s a money saving recipe if you use your own fruit. And it’s simple to make. Even little children can have a go.

Ingredients

Home grown cherries, preserved in brandy. Choose good quality fruit that is slightly under ripe. Only preserve the best fruit, and none that has any blemishes.

Or

200g glacé cherries

500g marzipan

200g good quality dark chocolate.

Method

Soak the glacé cherries in cherry brandy overnight. Drain and reserve the liquid for adding to cakes.

If using your own preserved cherries, drain and gently pat dry with a clean tea towel.

Break the block of marzipan into four, and microwave for a few seconds to soften.

Take tablespoons of marzipan (about 13g).

Roll into a ball, and then flatten to enclose a cherry. Roll gently in the palm of your hand to smooth the marzipan. Leave to dry for a few hours.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Drop each marzipan cherry into the chocolate and use a spoon to roll them about to coat.

Stand the chocolates on foil until set.

Keeps for about 1 week in a cool dry place. If you can resist them that long!

Enjoy 😊

I made mine in the summerhouse, with the radio on and sunshine streaming through the open doors. It’s amazingly mild for December. We’ve had 12C for days, although last night it was -2 and we woke to a frost.

Here’s the ingredients. It’s a really simple recipe. Wonderful if you have a cherry tree in the garden.

I used white marzipan, but you can use golden if you like.

Drop into the chocolate. Make sure you don’t get any water in the chocolate, or it will go dull.

They take about an hour to set. The recipe makes about 35 cherry chocolates. There’s enough marzipan and chocolate to make another 30 if you buy more cherries. Or make 30 almond marzipan chocolates.

Simply enclose one whole blanched almond in the marzipan as above, and coat in the chocolate. Delicious! You can also use whole Brazil nuts and use milk or plain chocolate.

How to Preserve Cherries

450g cherries

75g sugar

2 drops almond essence

600ml brandy.

Remove the cherry stalks and stones and prick all over with a sterilised needle or cocktail stick.

Layer the cherries with the sugar in a large sterilised preserving jar, fill to within 2.5cm of the top. Add almond essence.

Pour the brandy to cover the cherries. Seal the jar and shake well.

Keep in a cool, dark place for at least three months to allow the flavours to develop. Shake the jar from time to time.

Strain the cherries through a funnel lined with muslin. Put the cherry brandy into sterilised bottles to give as presents. Use the cherries in the chocolate marzipan recipe above, or in pastries, ice cream and other winter treats. Enjoy 😊

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I typed up favourite easy cook recipes and put them in a folder for my son when he went to uni and I still have a treasured handwritten book of recipes that my mum did for me when she bought me my first blender. It’s a lovely idea to collect all the family recipes in one place and these look delicious. I love marzipan and have a few jars of preserved cherries from the summer. So much nicer to have homemade as well! Wishing you a lovely christmas, Karen. xx

I recommend making your own marzipan, Karen – very easy to make and very much nicer too. I intend to put all my favourite recipes in book form ((such as Blurb) for my Girls. They may not be much into baking yet, but I am hoping they will be in the future, however far off (they are both in their 30s now!) 😀

Oh what a good idea. Recipe please Cathy. My girls will occasionally ask for a family favourite recipe, but it will be a one off event, like a party. They mostly eat fast pasta or wok cooked food. They have no time. At the moment. Things might change as they get older. Hopefully.

They really are tasty- and so quick to make. I’m on a budget this year as both my girls are hoping to fledge the nest and seem to need everything! They don’t seem so keen on having second hand like we did. But perhaps they will have to. I’m going to have to be firm! x

Karen you are wonderful writing in your blog ancient recipes of your family. Today’s is easy to make and looks great. They must be delicious, and more with own cherries. How wonderful to be in your Summer house doing them. It’s a luxury! Memories with love and health for your Mother. For your family, health and love. Karen rests, health and love. Take care. Very warm greetings for my friend Karen from Margarita 🙂

Thank you Christina. I must try that too. Sounds delicious. I think we used to have this when we were little and it was home made then. How do you do it. I wonder if it’s the same as making crystallised ginger which I’m keen to try.

Glacé cherries are easiest as they soak up the brandy and can be easily rolled in the marzipan and chocolate. I did also try peaches in brandy. Tricky but delicious. And any kind of nut. And stem preserved ginger.

I loved reading about your Chocolate Marzipan Cherries. Golly! It just struck me that it’s time to make the Christmas pudding! That became our dessert of choice after we lived in England two years. I must do it tomorrow.